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Did You Know ?
The
increase rate of arrests for adolescent females is twice
that of adolescent males.
45%
of females discharged from youth placement facilities
recidivate within the first 30 months of returning to
their Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Those
females re-entering their communities after
incarceration are often unprepared for the transition;
lacking adequate education, employment preparation
and/or adequate housing. |
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GRASP
is
especially designed to address the unique needs and
problems of female adolescents as they re-enter their
communities and their lives with family members. |
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Goals of the Project
Through intensive mentoring by female adults from
Brooklyn faith based communities, combined with support
services and professional case management,
GRASP
aims to reduce female youth recidivism and the behavior
that correlates with high levels of continuous criminal
behavior. |
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Target Population
GRASP
serves females who are:
13 to
18 years old
Adjudicated or convicted of crimes
Currently housed in various detention, placement, or
correctional facilities across New York State
Returning to the Boroughs of Brooklyn or Staten Island
upon their re-entry |
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Design of the Project
Services for
GRASP
participants begin prior to their release with a Masters
level social worker conducting a complete psychosocial
assessment of the youth’s individual needs. Subsequent
to re-entry into the community, continued monitoring and
support are provided through a year long process
involving case management, intensive mentorship and
comprehensive services.
GRASP
is
comprised of the following components: |
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Mentors
Potential mentors drawn from communities of faith
throughout Brooklyn are selected, screened, trained and
grouped in mentoring teams comprised of two female
adults equipped with the constant support of a KCDA
social worker. Each mentoring team is responsible for
helping the GRASP participant achieve contracted goals
through educational, cultural and recreational
activities. These activities may include tutoring,
field outings to museums and providing a listening ear.
With two mentors and a licensed social worker, the teams
are able to give both a diversity of role modeling and
daily assistance to the youth, and to maintain open
lines of communication with the youth’s parents. |
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Involvement of Faith Community
GRASP
is voluntary and participants acknowledge the religious
nature of the setting. The youth, however, are not
required to participate in religious activities as a
condition of the program, or as a test of whether they
are cooperating in the program. |
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“Our
primary goal with GRASP is to reduce female youth recidivism
and reduce the behavior that correlates with high levels of
continuous criminal behavior. …I recognize that we must
involve and support neighborhood and faith institutions in
the effort, because it is they that have historically
anchored our society.”
Charles
J. Hynes
Kings County District Attorney |
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